Current-motor.



D. BARTOSZEWIGZ. CURRENT MOTOR.

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D. BARTOSZEWIGZ.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1910Y Patented 11111.16, 1912.

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D. BARTOSZEWICZ.

CURRENT MOTOR. APPLICATION FILEDNOV. 9, 1910.

1,023,494. y Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

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IE STAT CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. i6, 1912.

Application filed November 9, 1910. Serial No. 591,432.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DoMrNIK BARrosznwrcz, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of St. Joseph, Berrien county, Michigamhave invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Current-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to current motors of the kind that comprise a boat or scow adapted to float in the stream and provided with a wheel that responds to the force of the current to develop power for any suitable or desired purpose.

Objects of my invention are to provide improved means for supporting the wheel; to provide improved means for directing the current against the wheel; to provide improved means for regulating the force of the water against the wheel; to provide a sluice way for deliveringv the water against the wheel, and means for varying the depth thereof in accordance with the conditions; to provide means whereby no anchors or ropes to the shore are necessary to hold the ioats or scow stationary in the stream; and to provide certain details of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiency of a current motor of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan of a current motor embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. Q is a side elevation of the said current motor. Fig. .3 is a longitudinal central section of the same. Fig. t is a rear elevation of the said current motor. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the same on line 5 5 in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan of the bow of one of the floats or boats, showing adjustment parts.

As thus illustrated, the scow for supporting the various operative parts comprises the two boatsror floats A#A which are connected together by the cross pieces a and a, and by the cross rods a2 and a3. The bow of each boat is beveled only on the inner side thereof, for, say, about a third of the length of the boat whereby the points a? thereof are in line with the outer sides of the boats. The two boats are spaced apart, and the tapered bows provide a flaring mouth for the sluice way thus provided between the two boats. The wheel B is disposed between the two boats, near the rear ends thereof, and has a shaft b that turns in bearings ZJ mounted on the inner sides of the two boats. These bearings slide up and down on the plates 52, and are adjusted up and down by the screws b3, which latter have their upper and lower ends rotatably mounted in the bracket plates b4. The plates 212 are slotted to receive the bolts b5 of the said bearings, and are rigid with the plates b4.

The sluice way between the two boats is formed in part by a trough C hung on ropes or chains c wound on the drums or shafts 0 and c2. These shafts are provided with ratchets operated by handles c3 for raising and lowering the trough. The said trough is rather shallow, as compared wit-h the depth of the boats, andas the wheel and the trough are some times lowered to extend some distance below the boats, the movable members D are provided and arranged to serve as sides for the sluice way, being 'hung just outside of the trough on ropes or chains Z that are wound on drums cl on the shafts 0 and 02. The said drums are large enough so that the members D rise and fall faster than the trough when the said shafts are rotated. If the trough C is connected by a rod 0L with the cross piece a', it follows that the trough moves forward when lowered. The said rod can be removed if desired. The members D, however, are always in position to keep the water moving in the right direction, and are provided with end portions Z2 that embrace the wheel. In other words, these members D will hold the water to the center until it reaches the wheel.

The flaring trough or funnel E is disposed between the tapered end or bows of the boats and has its inner or smaller end hinged to the forward end of the trough C, where by a considerable volume of water is rcceived and then concentrated in the relatively narrow sluice way. The mouth of the flaring intake provided by the tapered bows does not extend beyond the mouth of the funnel formed by the trough E. The said trough E is raised and lowered, to change the angleA thereof, by ropes or chains e that are wound on drums e on the shaft e2. IVhen the sluice way C is raised and lowered the trough E moves up and down at its hinged end, to change its position. It will be understood at this juncture that all of the shafts c', c2 and c2 are mounted to rotate in suitable bearings on the two boats. A ratchet having a handle e3 is provided for operating the shaft e2 to raise and lower the trough E. The said trough can be lowered to rest on the ground, as shown.

The gate wings F are hinged at f to the boats inside of the sides of the trough, and are of greater height and length than the said trough, so that they serve as eXtensions of the sides thereof. The bows of the two boats are beveled on the bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, and these wings deflect a large volume of water into the sluice way. Without these wings the current could pass over the sides of the trough E and under the boats. The two wings F can be swung together, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, and thus shut olf the current and stop the motor. A suitable arrangement of cross cables or drums G, wound on drums g, is employed from moving the wings toward and away from each other, to control the force of the current on the wheel. Said wings have rollers g that rest upon the cross bar g2, and in this way said wings are sup-ported as they swing toward and away from each other.

No anchors or shore lines are necessary for holding the scow in the stream. This is accomplished by means of posts or spuds H at the sides of the boats. These are provided with racks 7L that are engaged by the pinions 7L', the latter having handles k2 for the operation thereof. These handles may be removable bars. The boats have guides h3 in which the posts or spuds H slide up and down when the pinions are rotated. Thus the said spuds can be driven into the ground to hold the motor stationary, and raised when it is desired to change the position of the motor.

Thus it will be seen that I provide a simple and improved current motor that is compact and self contained, and that is easily regulated to suit the conditions. The current is directed and concentrated upon the paddles or blades of the wheel, and the force thereof can be controlled at will. In this way considerable power can be developed from a small stream.

The rod c4 is, of course, not absolutely essential, and it can be put on or left olf as the conditions may require. The flaring intake E is raised and lowered at its front end by the rope e, and at its rear end by the rope c,

in the manner described. In other words, the trough C serves as a support for the inner end of the funnel E, and by raising and lowering this support the said inner end of the funnel is raised and lowered. If the wat-er is very shallow or low, the sides 0r members D can be lowered to the bottom of the stream, and the trough or funnel E can be raised to let the water pass under the trough C. If necessary, the end of the trough C nearest the wheel can be lowered to bring the intake E into a position with its mouth higher than the rear end thereof. The water will in this way flow under the trough and between the sides D, thus allowing the current to deepen the channel. Thus the members D can be used for confining the water below the trough to deepen the channel and increase the volume of water available for the wheel, and give the wheel a greater depth to work in. Moreover, the said members when placed in contact with the bottom of the stream keep the water at the center and insure against any escape of the current to either side. In this way the said members D serve to increase the efficiency of the motor.

that I claim as my invention is:

1. In a current motor, a pair of boats with tapered bows, a wheel between said boats, a flaring trough between the tapered bows of the said boats, a support for the inner end of said trough, means for raising and lowering said support, and means for raising and lowering the outer end of said trough.

2. In a current motor, a pair of boats having tapered bows, a wheel between said boats, a flaring trough between said tapered bows, wings in said trough, said wings being hinged to the bo-at, and means for raising and lowering the said trough independently of said wings, including a vertically movable support to which the inner end of said trough is hinged.

3. In a current motor, a pair of boats, a wheel between said boats, a vertically ad justable trough between said boats, adapted to deliver the water to said wheel, adjustable sides for said trough, said boats having flaring tapered bows, a flaring between said bows, adapted to deliver the water to said first-mentioned trough, means for raising and lowering said flaring trough, and wings inside of said flaring trough, the two troughs being connected at their ends.

4. In a current motor, a pair of boats, a wheel between said boats, and a sluice way with a bottom between said boats for de* livering the water to said wheel, said sluice way having an adjustable intake or funnel for the intake end thereof, which funnel is movably supported at both ends thereof,

and said sluice way being adjustable be tween the sides of said boats.

5. In a current motor, a pair of boats having the bows thereof each tapered to a point or apex in line with the outer side thereof, to provide a Haring intake the mouth of which is substantially as wide as the two boats, a wheel between the boats, means substantially within said flaring intake for regulating the flow of water to said wheel, said means comprising a funnel that conforms to the Hare of the intake, and means for both raising and lowering said funnel bodily and changing the angle thereof, including a vertically adjustable support for the inner end of said funnel.

6. In a current motor, a pair of boat-s having the bows thereof each tapered to a point or apex in line with the outer side thereof, to provide a flaring intake the mouth of which is substantially as wide as the two boats, a wheel between the boats, means substantially within said fiaring intake for regulating the flow of water to said wheel, said means comprising a funnel that conforms to the flare of the intake, and means for both raising and lowering said funnel bodily and changing the angle thereof, including a trough hinged to said funnel t0 receive the water therefrom and deliver it to the wheel, and means for raising and lowering said trough.

7. In a current motor, a pair of boats having tapered bows to provide a flaring intake, a funnel in said intake, the mouth of the intake being even, or substantially so, with the mouth of the funnel, and means including windlass or drum mechanism carried on the boats for raising and lowering said funnel bodily, or at either end thereof, and a wheel between said boats.

S. 1n a current motor, a pair of boats having tapered bows to provide a flaring intake, a funnel in the said intake, the mouth of the intake being even, or substantially so, with the mouth of the funnel, means including windlass or drum mechanism carried on the boats for raising and lowering said funnel, at either end thereof, a wheel between said boats, a sluice way connecting the funnel with said wheel, wings in said funnel, and means for regulating the angle of said wings.

9. In a current motor, a pair of boats providing a flaring intake between their bows, a wheel between said boats, a pair of wings between the bows, a cross-bar on the bows of the boats, connecting one boat with the other above the wings, rollers on the upper edges of the wings, said rollers resting on said bar to support the wings, means for moving the wings toward and away from each otherl to control the water in said intake.

10. A current motor comprising a pair of boats tied together with space between, a wheel in said space, a flaring intake betweenA the ends of said boats, means for adjusting the intake both angularly and bodily, and an adjustable trough to which said intake is hinged.

11. A current motor comprising a pair of boats tied together with space between, a wheel in said space, means for raising and lowering said wheel, a trough in said space, a flared intake between the ends of said boats, said intake hinged to the trough, a shaft extending from one boat to the other over the intake, two shafts extending from one boat to the other over the trough, means for rotating said shafts, and connections from said shafts to the trough and intake.

l2. A current motor comprising a pair of boats tied together with space between, a wheel in said space, means for raising and lowering said wheel, a trough in said space, a flare intake between the ends of said boats, said intake hinged to the trough, a shaft extending from one boat to the other over the intake, two shafts extending from one boat to the other over the trough, means for rotating said Shafts, connections from said shafts to the trough and intake, a pair of side boards for said trough, and connections from said boards to the two shafts over thetrough.

13. A current motor comprising a pair of boats tied together with space between, a wheel in said space, means for raising and lowering said wheel, a trough in said space, a flared intake between the ends of said boats, said intake hinged to the trough, a shaft extending from one boat to the other over the intake, two shafts extending from one boat to the other over the trough, means for rotating said shafts, connections from said shafts to the trough and intake, and a pair of hinged wings in said intake, said wings being movable toward each other to reduce or cut off the intake of water.

14. A current motor comprising a pair of boats tied together with space between, a wheel in said space, means for raising and lowering said wheel, a trough in said space, a flared intake between the ends of said boats, said intake hinged to the trough, a shaft extending from one boat to the other over the intake, two shafts extending from one boat to the other over the trough, means for rotating said shafts, connections from said shafts to the trough and intake, the mouth of said intake being practically as wide as the two boats and wholly within the bows thereof.

l5. A current motor comprising a pair of boats tied together with space between, a wheel in said space, means for raising and lowering said wheel, a trough in said space,

a fiared intake between the ends of said independentl of said other elements for ho1dboats, said intake hinged to the trough, a ing the boats in position. 10 shaft extending from one boat to the other Signed by me at St. Joseph, Michigan, over the intake, two shafts extending from this first day of October, 1910.

one boat to the other over the trough, means DOMINIK BARTOSZEWICZ.

for rotating said shafts, connections from /Vitnesses: said shafts to thel trough and intake, adjust- CHAS. WV. STRATTON, able side boards for said trough, and spuds A. G. PROCTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

